"THE BOOK OF ACTS"
The Conversion Of The Jailer (16:25-40)
INTRODUCTION
1. In Ac 16:25-40, we have another example of conversion...
a. Commonly called "The Conversion Of The Jailer"
b. Which included the conversion of his household
2. In Ac 16:30 we find a familiar passage...
a. In which Paul is confronted by the Philippian jailer
b. Who asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
3. This is a very important question...
a. Salvation from sin is our greatest need - cf. Ro 6:23
b. The answer must be according to the Word of God
4. The answer given is often limited to what is mentioned in Ac 16:31...
a. Without consideration of all that is said in the context
b. Without noting what is taught elsewhere in the Scriptures
[If one were to ask today, "What Must I Do To Be Saved?", how should we
reply? Shall we limit our response to the words of Ac 16:31? Well,
consider first of all...]
I. WHAT IS NOT MENTIONED
A. THE NEED TO REPENT OF SINS...
1. Yet Jesus wanted repentance to be preached in His name - Lk 24:46-47
2. And so the apostles often preached the need to repent of sins
a. As Peter did in his first two sermons - Ac 2:37-38; 3:19
b. As did Paul in his sermon in Athens - Ac 17:30-31
-- Shall we conclude that repentance is not necessary because it is
not mentioned in the conversion of the Philippian jailer?
B. THE NEED TO CONFESS CHRIST...
1. Yet Jesus taught of the necessity of confessing Him before
others - Mt 10:32-33
2. And so the apostles often mentioned the importance of confessing
Christ
a. Confessing with the mouth the Lord Jesus leads to salvation
- Ro 10:9-10
b. Confessing that Jesus is the Son of God leads to abiding in
God - 1Jn 4:15
-- Shall we conclude that confession is not necessary because it is
not mentioned in the conversion of the Philippian jailor?
[We would be mishandling the Scriptures to suggest because repentance
and confession are not mentioned in Ac 16:31 that they are not necessary
to salvation. But now let's consider...]
II. WHAT IS MENTIONED
A. BELIEVING ON THE LORD...
1. The jailer was told to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ - Ac 16:31
2. This is consistent with what Jesus Himself taught
a. Believing in the Son is key to having eternal life - Jn 3:36
b. Unless we believe in Him, we will die in our sins - Jn 8:24
3. And so the apostles often proclaimed the importance of faith in
Jesus
a. That one might have life in His name - Jn 20:30-31
b. That believing with the heart leads to righteousness - Ro 10:9-10
-- Faith in Christ is imperative to salvation, because of what the
Bible says about it
B. BAPTISM IMMEDIATELY...
1. We notice that the jailor and his family were baptized
immediately - Ac 16:33
2. Similar to what we read elsewhere in other cases of conversion
a. The 3000 baptized on the day of Pentecost - Ac 2:41
b. The Ethiopian eunuch was baptized as soon as he saw water
- Ac 8:35-38
c. Paul encouraged not to delay - Ac 22:16
3. Why were they baptized immediately, even when it was after
midnight? - cf. Ac 16:25,33
a. Peter said it was for the remission of sins - Ac 2:38
b. Paul was told it was to wash away sins - Ac 22:16
c. Paul later wrote that it was a cutting away of the body of
sins - Col 2:11-13
d. Peter later wrote that it saves us through the resurrection
of Christ - 1Pe 3:21
-- When one sees what is revealed about baptism in the New
Testament, we can understand why it was received as soon as
possible by those who heard the gospel
C. INCLUDING HIS HOUSEHOLD...
1. Some appeal to the mention of "household" to infer infants
were included in the baptism
2. Yet the text states that:
a. Paul "spoke the word of the Lord...to all who were in his
house", implying that all were able to listen and understand
what was said - Ac 16:32
b. The jailer rejoiced, "having believed in God with all his
household"; i.e., everyone believed, implying the ability of
all to believe what they heard - Ac 16:34
3. There is nothing here to preclude what we have already concluded
as necessary requirements to be a subject qualified for baptism:
a. Repentance - Ac 2:38
b. Whole-hearted faith - Ac 8:37
-- Infants are incapable of faith and repentance, and nothing in
the text implies that infants were in the household of the
jailer
CONCLUSION
1. Why does Paul only mention faith in answer to the question in Ac 16:31...?
a. Because the answer takes into consideration one's spiritual state
or condition
b. For the jailor, he first needed to be told to believe in Jesus
c. For the 3000 on Pentecost, they already believed by the time they
asked their question, so faith is not even mentioned (but implied
nonetheless) - cf. Ac 2:36-37
2. What answer should we give to those who ask today, "What must I do to
be saved?"...
a. Our answer depends upon what the spiritual state or condition the
person is in
b. If they have yet to believe in Jesus, then the need to believe in
Him - Ac 16:30
c. If they believe in Jesus, then the need to repent, confess, and be
baptized for the remission of their sins - Ac 2:38; 22:16; Ro 10:9-10; Ga 3:26-27
3. Our answer should entail all found in the Word of the Lord...
a. Paul proceeded to speak the word of the Lord to the jailor and his
family - Ac 16:32
b. Such evidently included the need to be baptized immediately - Ac 16:33
A proper answer to "What must I do to be saved?" will take into
consideration both the spiritual state of the inquirer and all that
that the Word of God reveals on the subject.
Have you responded to what the Bible teaches regarding salvation in
Christ...?
